Pulaski residents have opportunity to have their well water tested

Virginia Cooperative Extension is offering Pulaski residents an opportunity to have their well, spring and cistern water tested for just $5 this spring.

“We haven’t done a countywide water testing program in a couple of years, so it’s good to,” said Scott McElfresh, the Virginia Cooperation Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

This is part of a statewide clinic that will allow residents to learn information about their water quality as well as care and maintenance. The confidential test includes testing for iron, sodium, fluoride, coliform bacteria, manganese, copper, pH, e. coli bacteria, sulfate, nitrate, total dissolved solids, lead, hardness level and arsenic.

“With the local rain and flooding … stuff can get down and contaminate the water source, and it’s just good to kind of know what’s in the drinking water and check that every couple of years,” said McElfresh.

The program starts off with a kickoff meeting in the Pulaski Central Gym that includes a sample kit, an introduction to the program and instructions as to how to properly collect the sample. The first meeting is followed by a drop-off for the collected samples. The samples will be taken to Virginia Tech for analysis.

A final meeting will take place where the water quality test results will be explained and residents will be given guidance to how to fix any problems. If residents are unable to attend the final meeting, the results of the test will be mailed.

McElfresh recommends that anyone who has a private water source attend the clinic.

The Virginia Household Water Quality Program hopes to improve the water quality and health of Virginians with private water supply. Subsidized funding for the program was provided by a grant from the USDA Rural Health and Safety Education Program.

Interested residents should pre-register for the kickoff meeting on April 29 at 7 p.m by emailing mcelfres@vt.edu or calling 540-980-7761.